Last week, Diablo Valley College saw the end to another great season for the women’s volleyball team. It wasn’t the big hits, or the long volleys that truly defined this season; it was commitment.

Over the course of the season the team’s roster was still in its infancy including only three sophomores and nine freshmen, and several line-up changes made a shaky team all the more disheartened.

Starting in the beginning of the season, Tasia Kwa had to leave for a family trip and Sandra Foster, recent highlight and setter for the team, had to leave halfway through the season due to a fractured sacrum. Kelsey Petrie, the current outside hitter, stepped up to the position in Sandra’s absence.

“Though we lost Sandra and others to injury and other issues,” comments Coach Ponciano, “all our expectations were still there.” Expectations that were exceeded when the Vikings beat Sac city for the first time this season, though confidence still seemed to be an issue.

“We had a hot and cold season,” says Coach Ponciano, “it was heartbreaking at times for the team, but we made sure to put all confrontations aside for the court.” The team had a rough season, and the final game against Delta proved to be just as rough.

“We did well adjusting to Delta’s outside and backthrow attacks,” Coach Ponciano commented in an email, “its still difficult to strategize against a team who has skilled players in key positions.” Delta had a strong offense in the past, and the Viking defense kept their bigger blockers up front to counter.

“We always have a game plan ready to deal with a previous opponent,” explained Coach Ponciano in an email, “a strategy that usually works we keep for the next matchplay.”

Defense definitely was consistent in this match, and helped the two teams fight for the win in the end. “We blocked more balls and deflected more balls than when we first played Delta,” Coach Ponciano explains, “(good defense) allowed us more opportunity to play the ball and not just get beat back by our own mistakes.”

Delta in the end took home the win. They received the win for the end of the Vikings season; however, the lady Vikings received flowers and a send-off from friends and family.

For all its line-up changes, injuries and a loss for the play-offs, Vikings volleyball ended with a win in heart.